Update ~ Zhang Anda holds nerve to set up Players Championship final showdown against Mark Allen

Zhang Anda has time to pass Mark Selby
Zhang Anda only has enough time to pass Mark Selby
Zhang Anda holds his nerve in the final frame with Mark Selby, to book a place in the final at the Players Championship in Telford, UK.

Selby thrashed Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 in the quarter-finals but could only manage one red from the pot. like Zhang. made a brilliant run to reach the semi-finals with what appeared to be a 4-0 lead.

Zhang, who defeated veteran John Higgins in the final round, opened the game. a nice clean 129.

The third in the tournament ended in a run of 80, 69 and 84, leaving Selby in his chair and needing some inspiration in the meantime.

Traffic still seemed one-way. after the competition. On the restart, Zhang made a break with 56 before missing the black in the right corner, allowing Selby to hit his first ball on the board in almost 45 minutes, and he continued to dominate the frame with a measured 62.

Selby. , four-time world champion, produced another carefully crafted 85 : n break to cut the deficit further to 4-2.

The seventh frame proved much tighter as Selby took the lead first before escaping. After a forehand change, Selby slid the key into the middle of the red, followed by another pair of reds, enough to pull back in the second frame.

Selby had a chance to tie the match in the next frame, but a bad safety attempt let in Zhang back with the table well set. He finally scored to make it 64-40 after more than 45 minutes to go one up.

Zhang, however, then missed a direct red into the bottom right corner, giving Selby the opening shot, which he hit with a fine century. . . A break of 113 pulled the second frame back at 5-4.

Selby opened the 10th frame with a 51 before leaving the door open for Zhang, but he couldn’t push through as he missed the final brown. Selby forced the decider to a frame.

It was only a temporary break, however, as Zhang earned an early 50 break in the decider, which proved enough to see him through to the final against Mark Allen..